On Friday, Sept. 12, Arts Wayland hosted a grand opening at their new space on 35 Andrew Ave., located in the Wayland Town Center. Arts Wayland has played host to creative talent in the Metrowest area for over 40 years.
Arts Wayland is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exhibiting art and educating others on the arts and literature. Arts Wayland’s board of directors organized the grand opening for their new location, which was a large gathering filled with Wayland residents and non-Wayland residents.
“I think there is a mood right now, people love coming together,” Director Chris Reynolds said. “I’m finding it in small concerts, big concerts, lectures and storytelling events. People love getting together and commiserating”
In order to acquire its new space, Arts Wayland had to negotiate a lease. The space is currently free of charge for Arts Wayland, as long as the organization generates high attendance and pays for the wi-fi and utilities.
“I would say at this point, the rent in town center is very high for a nonprofit,” Treasury and Director of Public Relations Robyn Gray said.
As a nonprofit organization, Arts Wayland relies on generating revenue through donations, ticket sales and memberships.
“We would probably never be able to make enough money off of art sales to maintain and get that income stream we would need to be able to pay out the new space,” President Steve Robb said. “So it would be more reliant on sustaining memberships and donations.”
The new space at Arts Wayland will host many events, such as writing workshops, art classes and galleries. Classes will also be held every week. They do cost money, but they are led by local art instructors. Concerts held by Arts Wayland will take place at First Parish Church and Vokes Theatre.
“When is it not important to come together,” Robb said. “It is always important for people to come together, we [Arts Wayland] are trying to offer that opportunity in as many ways as we can.”
Arts Wayland hopes to have both Wayland High School and Wayland Middle School students exhibit their work at the new space in the future. The people wanting to get involved with the organization are encouraged to come to any of the classes, become a member, volunteer or donate.
“We are in a time period where a lot of people are in conflict and are in a divide,” Gray said. “Art is kind of a nice way to unite and come together in a shared space.”
![From left to right, junior Ben Pyhtila, sophomores Aadith Charry and Owen Chislett play their cello instruments. Junior Jubin Kim also plays the cello and has been playing the instrument since third grade. "I think that [the cello] is a good balance between a high instrument versus a low instrument, and I just really like the rich sound that it makes," Kim said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_6540-1200x800.jpg)
